Comments on: Heading Out on Your Own — Day 12: What to Do If You Get in a Car Accident

By: Ima

Ima — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:56:32 +0000

A month or more ago I got rear ended by an SUV at a dangerous intersection. He was tailgating me. There was a lot of traffic and I couldn’t go. He kept honking at me. Finally I thought I could go then I saw I couldn’t because it was too fast so I stopped. I felt a crash behind me when his SUV crashed into my car from behind. Luckily I was not pushed into the intersection or I would’ve been thrown into the oncoming traffic. He yelled “don’t you know how to drive” at me which I replied somethin. Then we pulled over to the side of the road. I knew this guy, he went to HS with me. He was also headed to the same community college. He told me not to go through the insurance because he didn’t want our rates to go up and not to file a police report because he didn’t want police involvment. I called the police anyways but I didn’t make a claim with my insurance(big mistake). He gave me his name & number. At first I thought it was just a fenderbender but recently, I noticed the trunk won’t close(it was broken because of the accident). I don’t have the polcie officer’s badge or dispatcher number. I just have the guy’s number. I think, I have to check the papers I got. My mom is afraid the guy will claim the accident never happened. What can I do?

By: Steve

Steve — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 03:47:12 +0000

As an attorney, I’ve had a lot of conversations with people involved in car accidents who haven’t followed the suggestions above or did little after an accident, besides exchanging information with the at-fault driver.

Trust me, when I say going through these extra steps, there are some good ones mentioned above, will make things a lot easier on you down the road.

By: Rosi

Rosi — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 01:30:08 +0000

We need help, please…

My daughter was driving: we were leaving a car park of the Pavillion Supermarket in Los Angeles , she was about to turn the wheels to go straight and leave the parking and we were a bit over the center road when we got hit from the back side by car that was reversing located diagonal to us on the opposite side . my daughter advanced forward her car as the trunk got open by the impact, she got out of the car to see how badly her car was damaged. The driver of the other car also had forwards her car straight on the same positions she was parked before. I got out of the car and as I had my camera with me i took photos as i knew the other car was at fault as she reverse onto us. I asked for witness all said they saw Nothing and special a young woman that was putting her shopping on her trunk and was 4 cars away , she denied 3 times seeing anything or hearing. I continue taking photos and refuting that other driver use her bonnet as we heard nothing , then I saw the woman who denied seeing and hearing talking to other driver and now alleging she heard the bonnet … In fact we had not heard anything …. so I told her, you have told us few minutes ago that you saw nothing or heard anything and now you claim that you heard something. And pointed to see where the crash happens and how we were out of the parking ? she told yes o hear so I asked when after the accident ? so I told her see the spot , it is obvious the other driver hit us we were out of our parking lot .. the one who crashed us … she told me sorry about …I took her number …
My daughter made claim to her insurance who told her deal with the other side as I left we did not communicate , then she told me what she wrote it and I told her take measures of the parking lot and get proof that your car was out of parking when the other car hit you .. she did all her research included measures of her car and other one that crash her car and send it with a diagram on how it happen. Now her insurance is claiming it was her fault as the so-called witness stated that the other driver had used her bonnet and we could avoid the crash. We know we did NOT heard anything and we know the witness now is laying … how can prove the witness is lying? And can we appeal to my daughter insurance ? they were the one who should contact the other driver insurance not my daughter , now her insurance is raising her premium when in fact she was not fault. Any ideas??? This happen in Los Angeles 3 weeks ago…now is 7 Feb 2013… it happen on parking lot of Pavillion supermarket … thank for the help and ideas on what to do… Rosi

By: Lorri

Lorri — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 20:13:03 +0000

I recently got into an accident but I didn’t get any of his information, but we did file a report with the officer. I was at a stop sign and he thought he could squeeze by but he scraped my car. There was a police there and he filed a report but now the mother of that car is saying it never happened. What do I do? I have a scrape on my car but I didn’t see if he had damage on the car that wasn’t even his…… it was the passengers mother (who I assumed was his girlfriend). I’m afraid I won’t get insurance covered because they say it never happened and I don’t have any evidence, someone help me please )-:

By: Teresa

Teresa — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 04:40:00 +0000

Unfortunately, just got into a minor fender-bender at a local 7-11. Lots of rain, other driver seemed earnest but couldn’t provide license or passport (“I just got back tonight and everything’s in my luggage.”). No dings on her car, paint scratches on ours, now she’s not answering her phone, and we noticed (after we got home) that her license plate was held in place by zip ties and an expired registration.

Are we crap out of luck? I suspect as much…

By: JW

JW — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 02:43:05 +0000

Any advice for me? My son was involved in a car accident. A girl in the right lane of a 3-lane expressway in Minneapolis was cut off by a driver in the middle lane who swerved right, in front of her, to exit. He may or may not have hit her — witness reports and her story vary, and the trooper’s preliminary report claims she was hit on the left front fender. In any event, that driver fled the scene and she then swerved left across all three lanes of traffic and hit the guardrail, coming to a stop right in front of my son. He swerved right but still hit the far back end of her car. He was unhurt; she was taken to the hospital with very minor injuries. The car is an older Suzuki worth about $3000, but in great shape and worth much more as transportation for a college student. We do not need medical coverage; we did not have collision on the vehicle because of its age. We assumed her insurance would cover the damages caused by her crashing in front of him, but her insurance company is claiming that the accident was caused by the fleeing driver and therefore she is not responsible for damages to my son’s car. Our insurance company is so far taking the lead, but does not seem to be pursuing this very aggressively, as they are not on the hook for anything under our policy. It seems to me that, regardless of whether or not her accident was caused by a fleeing driver, her car was directly responsible for my son’s accident; therefore, shouldn’t her company pay his expenses and then go after the fleeing driver? The trooper was pretty nonchalant about finding the runner, but shouldn’t that be the problem of her insurance company? I am getting very frustrated — my son is the most blameless party in this event and he’s the one getting screwed over. Would love to hear if this has happened to anyone else and how it was resolved.

By: MJ

MJ — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 18:02:19 +0000

It is not a bad idea to look at the title or registration of the other guy’s vehicle to verify who owns it.

By: Henriette

Henriette — Sat, 24 Nov 2012 22:03:32 +0000

I have learned a few things from the passenger point of view in my last two accidents. (Yeah I witnessed, or was a passenger in a lot)
First of all. If any part of the car is still on the road, do not call the police non emergency number. It is an emergency because another accident can happen because people wil want to get around it.
If anyone cannot recall the entire accident or has some type of pain, anywhere get an ambulance. In one the accidents my friend fell asleep behind the wheel ( do not drive unless well rested), turns out a lot of people think they just doozed of when in reality something more serious is going on. Also it takes a bit of time to feel the pain for real (learned that from the other accident).
My dad always told me that no matter what do not let anyone in your car after an accident. Had my dad not told me that I would have gotten into the car of a bystander. In my last accident the car hit a piece of ice, and flipped over before landing in a meadow upside down. I had a whiplash, and anytime someone with neckproblems is a car, the firemen will cut up that car. Insurance here does not cover that. Make sure you have blankets to keep people warm instead.
In general first aid kit, fire extuingers are for others not for yourself. Make sure you carry them, as well as some blankets (usefull for a lot of things). You have the moral responsiblity to react and help. Call 911, when you have witnessed an accident immediatly. Help in any way you can. Worst thing is you will be late for something. You have a good excuse for that.
An emergency hammer can come in usefull and is neccesary for your own safety if you drive by water. (I don’t know if they are common in the states. Basically they are used to cut your own seatbelt, and smash a window, when you end up in water, but is usefull in other situations as well.)
After an accident more serious than a little fender-bender, make sure you spend the next few days with somebody you trust. They will notice when something turns out to be wrong after all, whether physical or mental.

By: Josiah

Josiah — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 23:07:59 +0000

About a month ago I was in a hydroplaning accident that totalled my first car. I see no one mentioned it but it is imperative that if you are in a single car crash that you weigh the pros and cons of going through insurance. I ended up not going through insurance because I would have ended up paying double for the next 6 years and at that price ($3000/yr) I would have been unable to drive anyway, not to mention that my car was only worth $3500.

By: Alex

Alex — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 16:46:44 +0000

I am a 20 year old who is going through my first car accident. It is a nightmare, the people at fault do not want to go through their insurance and are not giving me their insurance info. Currently waiting on the police report. My car got totaled and I’ve been without a car for almost a month. Complete nightmare.